ACCC urges businesses to begin preparing for mandatory reporting regime to start in January next year
August 25, 2010
Businesses are being urged to begin preparing for new mandatory product safety reporting requirements that start on January 1, 2011.
From next year, businesses will be required to notify the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) if a product they have supplied has caused, or may cause, serious injury, illness or death.
ACCC Deputy Chair Peter Kell says the requirements will be introduced to identify product safety hazards and respond to emergency safety issues.
“The mandatory reporting requirement means businesses need processes to track and take action on consumer complaints promptly,” Kell says.
“Suppliers will have to notify the ACCC within two days of learning that a consumer good or product related service they have supplied has caused, or may cause, serious injury, illness or death.”
The competition and consumer watchdog has released draft guidelines on the new reporting requirement to engage suppliers and receive feedback. Forums will also be held later this year to educate businesses on the changes.
“I urge all suppliers to engage in the consultation process and begin preparing for the implementation of the new laws now,” Kell says.
The reporting measure is one of the recommendations made by the Productivity Commission to improve Australia’s product safety system.
According to the review, suppliers often had access to more information about their products than government. It claimed government’s ability to respond to existing and emerging hazards could be improved with greater, and faster, access to relevant product safety information.
Those who fail to report a product that has caused or may cause a hazard can be found guilty of a criminal offence and slapped with a fine.
A corporate entity can be fined up to $16,500 and $3300 for individuals.
Click here to access information on the new guidelines.